As my husband would say, “it was a long run for a short slide.” Even still, I’m so glad that I went to the House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year media lunch yesterday. It was neat to see the kitchen in person and make some new connections.
The event was held at Rockefeller Plaza and featured an all-new design by Jeff Lewis, star of Bravo’s Flipping Out. The Kitchen of the Year basically brings the pages of House Beautiful to life and gives visitors the opportunity to experience an “ideal” American kitchen. It was a really cool event, especially for culinary enthusiasts, design lovers, and anyone who just loves pretty kitchens, like me! Plus, if you’re a fan of Jeff Lewis, you’d have the chance to meet him. (I didn’t know who he was before the event, but he’s quite the handsome devil! 
)
If you’re interested in seeing the Kitchen of the Year for yourself, it’s open daily from now through Friday, July 23. Each day, cooking demonstrations and tastings, tours and presentations on everything kitchen design-related will be offered. A complete schedule of events can be found by visiting the Kitchen of the Year online at www.housebeautiful.com/KOTY.
Jeff Lewis’s design is a 1,000 square-foot, fully-functioning kitchen, which includes an additional 1,000 square feet of outdoor living space. The fully furnished decks outside were perfect for entertaining– the media folks mingled and enjoyed lunch there.
Both spaces were open, clutter-free, clean, and minimal.
The style of the kitchen leans more toward modern with a mix of natural elements. It was sophisticated, functional, and great for entertaining. I want a kitchen like this!!
For some reason, both the kitchen and outdoor decks reminded me of something you’d see in California. Maybe because it was bright and fresh-looking?
The Kitchen of the Year features a number of innovative components from companies like Kohler, Kraftmaid, Restoration Hardware, The Container Store, Kate Spade (tabletop accessories) as well as many others. It was very upscale stuff.
Ok, now I really want my own house with a fancy-schmancy kitchen! I loooovvvvee it!!
Ok, now onto the food! 
The event provided a delicious spread of “light bites” with sandwiches from Natures Pride, flatbread pizzas from Bertolli, lots of big fresh salads, and a few desserts from Magnolia Bakery.
The sandwiches included a Chicken Salad with Green Apples, Golden Raisins, and Slivered Almonds on Whole Wheat Bread as well as Brie, Apple, and Watercress on Multi-Grain Bread.
Salad and dessert selections.
Sliced tomatoes with mozzarella and pesto.
Pizza!!!
I grabbed a little bit of everything from the spread, including the Brie, Apple, and Watercress sandwich, which I am now determined to recreate at home. The crouton + feta salad was also excellent. I wish I had a recipe for it!
All in all, a great event! I’m happy that I spent 9 hours on a bus for it!
Question of the Day
What would your “ideal” kitchen include?
P.S. Two charity organizations are beneficiaries of this year’s Kitchen of the Year. Money raised from the project will support The Alpha Workshops and select products will be donated to Habitat for Humanity at the conclusion of the event.
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What a cool event! But I don’t know if I could take 9 hours of traveling to see a kitchen. I get so antsy on long rides.
Watercress in a sandwich? Really never thought of it, but I admit it must give a crunch!
Brie apple and watercress sandwiches sound delicious!
OMFG Jeff lewis is all sorts of HILARIOUS tina! Please watch his show on BRAVO..he’s CRAZY, INSANE, AND DRAMATIC..just like me..but in a gay man! Fun event btw!
Can I say how much I admire your lifestyle? I hope my future offers me the opportunities yours does!
Gorgeous shots! I love the kitchen! Very spacious by nyc standards lol
Not really a fan of that kitchen to be honest. It’s too modern looking
That is a great kitchen! I have never tried watercress…looks good though.
As long as it’s safe to stray from the ordinary, I’ve already told my husband that I am all for an authentic Napolitana pizza oven, complete with rocks from Mount Vesuvius!
You’ve been doing some incredible events! Don’t have a dream kitchen really. I just want a backyard and a clean bathtub. Is that so much to ask?
What a cool light fixture! I think my ideal kitchen would include plenty of top notch appliances & lots of wine
My ideal kitchen would include space and storage. My current kitchen lacks both and it drives me crazy!!
I think that kitchen is beautiful!!! But he did have 1000 square feet to work with. I would love to see what he could do with my little space!
gosh, i could go on and on…i would love a kitchen with a gigantic, fancy gas stove; maybe viking. i would also love a huge island w/ a vegetable sink and butcher block counter…lots of counter and storage space w/ loads of natural light – that would be wonderful.
mmm…this lunch spread looks delish! I love how elegant and simple everything is!! gorge!
lol…seeing kitchens like that (either in person or in magazines) always makes me SO jealous!! My kitchen is totally stuck in the 70′s. Oh well
My kitchen would have plenty of storage and a pantry. I’d love a walk-in pantry!
Gorgeous kitchen!!! I love Jeff Lewis!
My ideal kitchen would have an island, huge pantry and lots of room for storage!
My ideal kitchen would be open to the family room, so that I can cook and chat with whoever I happen to be dining with! Right now, our kitchen is in a little side room and it can get lonely in there!
I feel like I’m doomed to tiny, postage stamp-sized apartment kitchens for the rest of my life, so I don’t allow myself to dream.
Although I must say that the tour through Guy Fieri’s kitchen in the latest Food Network magazine got me thinking. I really liked how he had everything organized.
a HUGE island with tons of counter space, a massive fridge, walk-in pantry, and open shelving
The finishes in that kitchen look amazing! I would have geeked out and embarrassed myself if I’d been there.
That looks pretty close to my ideal kitchen, actually- dark wood, large island with a gas range, double oven, every appliance you could ever need…I could go on.
That crouton salad looks awesome! I’m trying to see what all the different ingredients are- I see tomato, corn..are those snow peas? I may attempt to help you recreate that one, too.
I’ll post it on my blog!
The kitchen is definitely gorgeous. I’m not entirely sure what I’d like mine to be exactly, but I want something big with a clean, simple design so I have the space and atmosphere to work properly.
I want stackable ovens and MORE counter space!! I once saw a kitchen island with a built in wine fridge. That would be sweet
My ideal kitchen would definitely be a lot of open space. I love when dinnerware and stemware are on display. I would also want a double oven (I know so extravagant but we like to entertain) and a huge fridge with a freezer drawer at the bottom. As far as what would stock it – that list goes on and on. I love the kitchen – best room in the house! Well after the bedroom
It is so cool that you got to attend this! I was in New York last summer and saw the Ina Garten Kitchen which was the winner of the same contest last year. It was so amazing to see it in person. I’d probably want my dream kitchen to be very similar in style to Ina’s – with LOTS of counter space, and an oven – unlike my current back bay apartment!
We are in the process of remodeling our kitchen & its truly shocking how expensive everything is! The choices are really overwhelming, but when you’re on a budget, its more manageable at least. The only thing I wish I had is a walk in pantry or really a butlers pantry. But I have plenty of room in the basement, so I really shouldn’t complain!
I flipping love Jeff Lewis. He is a hilarious little thing! Looks like a really fun event! I need that pizza in my belly!!
I love the modern style and his show. Was his maid there?! She’s so cute.
I love my new kitchen. It really is my dream kitchen, but if I could add one thing, it would be a larger refridgerator. The one I have is smaller than my previous one and it’s black. I want a stainless steel one.
good counter space, double ovens, room for a stand mixer (my dream), endless fridge space, and giant pantry
That kitchen’s gorgeous, I just don’t think I’d be able to cook in it! I’d be afraid to mess everything up! lol My ideal kitchen would definitely have to be huge with an island in the middle, nice countertops, and a huge fridge!! Not to mention a fantastic oven.
wow!!!! that kitchen looks soooo amazing! i love flipping out!, one of my favorite trashy tv shows ever!
Lovely! Right now, my “ideal” kitchen is anything but my tiny little rental! More specifically though, I would love more counter space (who wouldn’t?!) so I could actually leave out my most frequently used appliances, a butcher block island, and a double oven. My mom has ALWAYS had a double oven and I think I just took for granted how much easier it made prepping a large meal. When I moved into my own place that only had one oven, I was like, “How am I supposed to cook multiple courses at ONCE?!”
Those tomatoes are so vibrant..yum!
I’m from Cali and I haven’t quite seen a kitchen like that (or restaurant), but I think it would fit in nicely!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jeff Lewis. So funny!
Glad you had such a nice time. My ideal kitchen would have an enormous island in the middle and definitely a double sink which is very very deep. Ugh…what I wouldn’t give to have a deep sink! it is the small things.
I walked through Rockerfellar Center the other day and I saw them building that house/deck and I had no idea what is was… Now I know! Thanks
I love Jeff Lewis!
Tina you will have to watch his show — the next season premieres on Bravo on August 10.
My ideal kitchen would have a huge island, a huge fridge, 2 ovens and a Vita-Mix!
That looks like so much fun…the kitchen (and food) are beautiful! I laughed at the fact that the KOTY is 1000 square feet–that’s far bigger than my entire apartment!
I have always wanted one of those kitchens with an island in the middle. And a big American fridge. Sadly UK houses are not big enough for such things….
Wow – what a fun event! My ideal kitchen needs a big island in the middle with a cutting board surface, open shelving, a big gas-burner stove, 2 ovens and a double-door refrigerator.
What the heck did you do on the bus for 9 hours?
Get some reading done? 
Fun event!
WOW!!!! I want, I want , I want!! That kitchen is amazing and the food looks simple, but fantastic!
My dream kitchen would have tons of (uncluttered) counterspace, a double oven and TWO dishwashers! I hate doing dishes
@Melissa (MelissaLikesToEat): There’s internet on the Bolt Bus and I worked on my book edits.
That kitchen is pretty, but I think it would be impractical. Well, unless you can afford a housekeeper too. I used to have open shelving in an apartment kitchen, and all the things left out quickly got dirty from the oil etc in the air. You end up cleaning everythign before you use it.
I’d love double sinks, lots of counter space, deep cabinets and a pantry. Sigh.
Ah! I’m a huge fan of your blog and I work at Rock Plaza! Wish I knew you were coming. I thought I recognized that Magnolia!
ooooh, i have so many “wants” in my future kitchen. I’m one of the nerds that can spend hours in that secion of Ikea.
a MUST though is counterspace….and a large sink! =0)
My ideal kitchen would include all those fancy-but-necessary kitchen appliances (oven which WORKS, food processor, blender, Nespresso machine, etc)
I want that kitchen. Jealous!
Wei-Wei
What a GORGEOUS kitchen – bigger than my entire condo! I would love a kitchen with tons of counter space and organized places for all my appliances and dishes.
What in incredible kitchen!!! And that food spread is outstanding
What beautiful photos! That spread looks awesome and the kitchen looks incredible! Very cool sink faucet.
My dream kitchen would include double ovens, open counter space, dark cabinets, and PINK accessories. I hate to admit my tackiness, but I love Kitchen Aid’s pink appliances. I have the pink mixer and blender already. Pink toaster next perhaps?
my house right now doesn’t have room for a dining table – if i could just get that right now i’d be happy!
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